Tuned Volvo V70 R: Aarons Swede Army Knife

Next episode of CARISMA is live, check it To the untrained eye, Aarons 2004 Volvo V70R looks like a plain, anonymous Swedish box. That couldnt be more wrong. CARISMA is The Drive s new series exploring the relationship between enthusiasts and their cars. From its 2. 5L turbo fivecyl to its Haldex AWD system to its unique spaceball manual shifter, the V70R is a special piece of kit to begin with. But after buying it in collegeand ignoring his friends doubtsAaron set about building this 20yearold Volvo into his perfect doitall vehicle to handle track days, road trips, New England winters, and everything in between. His first project was swapping the exhaust to an 8Eight Fab dual catback in his dorms parking lot in the middle of winter. Next came suspension work: TME lowering springs, rear sway bar, upgraded bushings. Then the big stuff: a full interior swap to Atacama, a lightweight flywheel and shortshifter, and